Northampton, Mass. – The Vassar College Women's Basketball team saw its season come to an end Friday with a 64-49 loss to Amherst in the First Round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Seniors Tova Gelb and Julia Harvey each scored in double-figures in the final game of their careers.
Vassar's season ends at 21-7 while Amherst advances to the Second Round with a 20-7 record.
How It Happened
- Vassar struggled from the field over the opening 20 minutes, finishing the first half just 3-for-23.
- Amherst scored the first nine points of the game, before Vassar got on the board with a pair of Harvey free-throws at the 6:45 mark of the first period.
- The Brewers pulled to within 9-4 on two Gelb free-throws, before Amherst closed the opening stanza on a 12-5 run.
- Maya Cwalina scored eight points over the run for the Mammoths who went 5-for-12 from the floor over the final 5:36 of the quarter.
- Vassar got its first field goal of the game, a three-pointer from Harvey, with 64 seconds left in the opening frame.
- Amherst carried a 21-9 lead into the second quarter after shooting 42.1-percent from the field in the first quarter.
- Vassar finished the opening 10 minutes 1-for-9 from the floor and went a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.
- Amherst used a 7-0 run in the second quarter to open up a 28-10 advantage with 4:27 left before halftime.
- Vassar went without a field goal in the second frame until a Gelb layup with 3:02 left before halftime.
- An Erin Lovett (Norwalk, CT) conversion brought Vassar to within 14 points late in the half.
- Amherst got triple from Lauren Mendell to pull back in front 31-14, before a pair of Sierra McDermed (San Antonio, TX) free-throws sent the two teams into the intermission with the Mammoths holding a 32-17 lead.
- Vassar shot just 13-percent from the floor in the first half and went 1-for-7 from three-point range.
- Amherst converted at 44.4-percent and also hit on one of its seven three-point attempts.
- Harvey paced the Brewers with six first half points.
- Mendell led a balanced scoring attack for the Mammoths before the break with nine points.
- Vassar scored 32 points after halftime, including a 15-point third period that saw the Brewers shoot 40-percent from the field.
- Vassar pulled to within 10 points twice in the third frame, including on a Tash Thompson (Los Altos Hills, CA) three-pointer with just under a minute left in the frame.
- The Brewers would be unable to pull any closer than 10 points in the game and after a three-point play from Gelb early in the fourth quarter, Amherst used a 10-0 run to surge in front 56-35 with 5:32 left to play.
- The Mammoths pulled in front by a game-high 22 points on four occasions, before a 7-0 run from the Brewers to close the game and make the score the final 64-49 decision.
- Vassar shot 41.4-percent after halftime and knocked down one second half three-pointer.
- Amherst shot 42.3-percent in the second half and canned four triples.
For The Brewers
- McDermed led the scoring attack with 17 points to go along with five rebounds and four steals.
- Harvey totaled 14 points on the strength of 7-for-8 shooting from the free-throw line.
- Gelb chipped in 10 points and team-highs with three assists and five steals.
- Lovett finished with a team-high nine rebounds for the Brewers.
For The Mammoths
- Laura Mendell led the team with 15 points and added nine rebounds, two assists and two steals.
- Maya Cwalina totaled 12 points six rebounds and a pair of blocks.
- Anna Tranum hauled in eight rebounds and chipped in seven points.
- Brielle Renwick came off the bench to finish with seven rebounds and nine points.
Game Statistics
- Vassar shot 28.8-percent for the game and went 2-for-11 from three-point range.
- Amherst converted at 43.4-percent overall and connected on five three-pointers.
- Vassar forced 29 turnovers, but Amherst finished with a 26-19 edge in points off of turnovers.
- The Mammoths collected 16 offensive rebounds, leading to a 18-2 edge in second chance scoring.
- Amherst outscored Vassar in the paint 32-24.
- The Brewers finished with a 12-6 edge in fast break points.